Profiles of the carillonists

Lead Carillonist, Lyn Fuller AMusA, LMusA, TMusA

In 1994 Lyn learned to play the carillon and is now the Lead Carillonist of the National Carillon, Carillon Teaching Fellow at the ANU School of Music, playing member of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra and she also studied at the Canberra School of Music. She has attended the Carillon International Summer Schools at Løgumkloster, Denmark and Mechelen in Belgium, and has been invited to undertake private studies and concert opportunities with renowned carillonneur, Geert D’hollander, at Bok Tower Gardens in Florida. Lyn has written a number of original works and commissions. In 2014 she wrote and performed at ANZAC recitals in Ypres and Mechelen, to commemorate the centenary of the Great War.

In 2017 the National Capital Authority called for Expressions of Interest for new students to learn to play the National Carillon. The video below was created to promote this opportunity. We have selected two new students to be part of this program.

Senior Carillonist, Astrid Bowler BA

Graduating from the University of Sydney with a major in music, Astrid Bowler is Canberra’s longest serving carillonist, having started lessons with John Gordon in 1984. In 1991 she had lessons with Timothy Hurd in Wellington, New Zealand. She has played many recitals celebrating significant events including “All the Bells”, a simultaneous worldwide celebration of the opening of the London Olympic Games in 2012. In 2010 Astrid played recitals in England and Lithuania and in 2014 joined other Canberra carillonists in recitals at Ypres and Mechelen in Belgium. Astrid also joined carillonists from all over the world in commemorating the Christmas Eve Truce in Belgium in 1914 with a special concert.

Senior Carillonist, Thomas Laue BMus(Hons), PhD

Dr Thomas Peter Laue is a Lecturer in Music at the Australian National University School of Music. Thomas trained as Student Carillonist with Lyn Fuller in 2012, studied intensively with Koen Cosaert and Eddy Mariën and took part in masterclasses and lessons with Geert D’hollander, Karel Keldermans, Peter Langberg and Tom Van Peer. Thomas has been Senior Carillonist since 2013. In 2014, Thomas was commissioned by the National Capital Authority to compose Though Poppies Grow to commemorate the centenary of the Great War. In the same year Thomas performed at Anzac recitals in Ypres and Mechelen to commemorate the centenary of the Great War. Thomas became the first Australian entrant and won third prize in the International Queen Fabiola Music Competition for Carillon in Mechelen, Belgium.

Carillonist, Leonard Weiss MTeach(Sec), BMus

Leonard is an award-winning composer, conductor and performer. He was the 2016 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year for Youth Arts and Multimedia, an ACT Finalist for 2016 Young Australian of the Year. He recently received a Canberra Critics' Circle Award for Music. Leonard is the Musical Director/Conductor of the Canberra Youth Orchestra, the National Capital Orchestra, the Canberra Qwire and the ANU Choral Society, amongst other ensembles.

Leonard has conducted and performed solo carillon concerts in the USA and throughout Europe, including recent carillon performances through Belgium and at Princeton University. Local highlights include solo performances as part of the 2015 Canberra International Music Festival and 2015-7 Australia Day celebrations. He has premiered his carillon compositions locally and abroad.